Vehicle.



T. BROWN.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEG. 1906.

1,099,233. Patented June 9,1914.

Inuen tor' T heophilus BPOUJTD- UNITED- sirAmEs IfiTENT orrion.

THEOPI-IILUS BROWN, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'ro RICHARDSONMANUFACTURING COMPANY, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

VEHICLEJ Specification ofLetters Patent.

Serial No. 320,434.

, l) all whom it may] Concern Be it known that I, Tlnuormnus BROWN, acitizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of\Vorcester and :lOHlD'IODWOSIltill of Massachusetts, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Vehicles, of which the following is a.specification accompanied by drawings, forming a part of the same, inwhicl Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward wheels and axle, andso much of the vehicle body as is necessary to illustrate my invention.Fig.9 a detached plan view of the central portion of the forward axle.Fig. 3 is a detached rear view of the central portion of the forwardaxle with the turntable or fifth wheel in vertical sectional view. Fig.at is a detached rear view of the forward axle.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the differentviews.

My invention relates to an improved construction of the forward axle ofa vehicle, and an improved method of applying the force exerted indrawing the vehicle from the forward axle to the body portion, and itconsists in the construction and arrange ment of parts as hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings 1 denotes the body of the vehiclesupported on forward wheels 2 and rear wheels, not shown. The forwardwheels 2 are carried upon a metal axle 3 which is bent upwardly betweenthe wheels in the well known manner, and supports the forward end of thel. ody by the usual turntable or fifth wheel 4.. The pole 5 of thevehicle is attached to the axle 3 by fork (Lbolted to the axle3 in theusual manner on cit-her side of the turntable t. Between the ends T ofthe fork 6 and below the ti'u'ntable f the axle 3 is given asemicircular bend 8 which extends rearwardly in the same plane as theaxle This semicircular bend S is arranged to receive the king bolt 3)attached to the body 1 of the vehicle. The king bolt 9 is increased inlength and tits the inner side of the SGll'llCllCLllfll' bend 8 of theaxle 3. Any pulling strain applied to-the axle 3 from the pole 5 istherefore communicated directly to the king bolt 9 from the axle 3 andhence to the vehicle body 1, andthe various parts of the turntable 41are relieved from all strains incident to the forward motion of thevehicle. In this way I obtain a strong construction througl'iout all theparts subjected toithe strain of moving the vehicle, thereby freeing thenecessarily weaker turntable from the most severe strains which wouldordinarily come upon it. This also places the center of the king bolt inthe vertical plane of the axis of the axle, which, as the axle is thedirect connection between the :fmrward wheels, is also the axial line ofthe forward wheels. This allows the location of the turntable or supportfor the wagon body, through the center of which the king bolt passes,directly above the axle and in a position to exert a direct downwardthrust upon it. I also provide a brace rod 10 attached to the bodyportion '1 and encircling the king bolt 9 below the semicircular bend 8,thus providing a connection between the lower end of the king bolt 9 andthe body of the vehicle, :ausing the pulling strain to be applied toboth the lower and the upper end of the king bolt. Another brace rod 11is preferably provided between the body 1 and the upper plate 12 of theturntable. arranged to assist in transmitting the pulling strain to thebody.

The central section of the axle 3 is upwardly curved and is providedwith shoulders 13, Fig. -linnncdiately inside the forward wheels.(lollars 14 are fitted on the ends of the axle 3 to contact with theshoulders l3 and a truss rod 15 connects the colbus 14. The truss rod115 resists any down ward pressure on the curved section of the axlewhich tends to extend the axle longitudinally and insures the permanenceof the upward bend in the axle 3.

The tensile strain upon the rod 11:) is re ceivcd by the nuts 16 held onthe ends of the rod, or in lieu of two nuts, one end of the rod may beprovided with a head and a nut used on the opposite end. The ends of thetruss rod are loosely held in cars 17 extending downwardly from thecollar 14; so the resistance to a tensile strain is applied close to theaxle. The truss being located below the axle is easily accessible andcan be readily removed endwise by the removal of a nut from the end. Thenuts Patented. June 9, 1914.:

16 can also be conveniently adjusted to receive the tensile strain whenaload is applied. to the axle.

I claim,

1. In a vehicle, a forward axle comprising a rod or bar bent upwardly atits. central section, a bolster detachably attached to the crown of theaxle, and means for applying the draft directly to the crown of theaxle, a king bolt carried by the bolster in. the plane of the axle andextending be-i low the axle, said axle having a short bend at the kingbolt substantially fitting the side to the crown of the axle uponopposite sides of and contiguousto its center, and aking bolt carried bythe bolster in the plane of the axle, said axle being bent rearwardlyContact with the king bolt. 7

3. In a vehicle, a forward'axle bent rearat the, center of its crown toembrace and 'wardly at itsce-nter, a bolster carried upon the centralportion of theaxle, means for applying thes'draft'to the axle uponopposite sides of its center, a king boltcarried by the bolster andextending through and be yond the concavity formed by the said rearwardly bent central portion of the axle, and

a brace for the lower end of the king bolt.

Dated this 31st day of May1906.

THEOPHILUS BROWN. Witnesses:

RUFUs B. FOWLER, PENELOPE COMBERBAOH.

Copies ,of this patent may-be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of-Patents,

Washington, I). C. r

